Office of The Bishop 

Statement concerning the Vatican Meeting on the Protection of Minors
Statement on Abortion Legislation
            en español
2018 Fall USCCB Assembly 
WSCC Release on Abortion Mandate
Catholic Schools Week 2018
Pastoral Letter on Immigration
Carta pastoral sobre inmigracion
Pastoral Letter on Poverty

Statement from the Diocese of Spokane Regarding the new Gonzaga School of Law Lincoln LGBTQ+ Rights Clinic

Statement on behalf of Bishop Daly regarding Catholic Schools and a presentation by Anne McClain:

In response to Anne McClain’s presentation at Gonzaga Prep, Bishop Daly has made no declaration whether the Catholic schools in the diocese may or may not attend. In keeping with Catholic education as one of his top priorities, and valuing the principle of subsidiarity, Bishop Daly supports the pastors and principals of schools in making decisions about school activities.
 

Prayers for the Repose of the Soul of William Cardinal Levada

Please join me in prayer for the repose of the soul of William Cardinal Levada who died yesterday at the age of 83.  His Eminence was the former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Archbishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.  I served under the Cardinal as Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese and observed first hand his strong leadership and unwavering fidelity to the Church. 

We were blessed to have the Cardinal here in Spokane last year as he led our diocesan Lourdes Novena for Healing at the Cathedral. May God grant him the reward of a good and faithful servant.  Rest in peace.
 

In Christ,
 
Bishop Daly
 

Congratulations and welcome to Archbishop Paul Etienne. I’ve known Archbishop Etienne through our work together with Catholic Home Missions, as well as through the Region XII group of bishops in the United States. He is an excellent bishop and pastor; both the Archdiocese of Seattle and Archbishop Sartain will be blessed by his new ministry in Seattle.
 

Dear Friends,

Each January as the nation commemorates the sad anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, marches are held, and vigils are prayed. Those committed to the cause of human rights of the unborn make their voices heard. This year, pro-abortion politicians fearing increased restrictions on abortion have advocated for and passed laws expanding access to abortion in the state of New York. Similar attempts have been made in Virginia.

Efforts to expand access to abortion, allowing murder of children up to the moment of birth is evil. Children are a gift from God, no matter the circumstances of their conception. They not only have a right to life, but we as a society have a moral obligation to protect them from harm.

The champion of this abortion legislation is Andrew Cuomo, a Catholic and governor of New York. Governor Cuomo frequently cites his Catholic faith in support of legislation he favors. His public witness as a Catholic politician, coupled with his stalwart support of abortion, is unacceptable.

Politicians who reside in the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, and who obstinately persevere in their public support for abortion, should not receive Communion without first being reconciled to Christ and the Church (cf. Canon 915; "Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles." Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2004).

The Church’s commitment to the life of every human person from conception until death is firm. God alone is the author of life and for the civil government to sanction the willful murder of children is unacceptable. For a Catholic political leader to do so is scandalous.

I encourage the faithful to turn to our Lord in prayer for our political leaders, entrusting them especially to the intercession of St. Thomas More, a public servant who preferred to die at the hands of civil authorities rather than abandon Christ and the Church. Let us also keep the unborn, as well as all pregnant mothers, in our prayers.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts forever.

In Christ,
Most Reverend Thomas A. Daly Bishop of Spokane

PDF in English 
PDF En Español 

Dear Friends in Christ,
 
As you may know, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops gathered this week in Baltimore for our annual fall assembly. Our intended agenda was to deal with the ongoing sex abuse crisis in our Church. Along with many of my brother bishops, I was surprised and disappointed to learn that the Holy See had instructed the USCCB not to hold binding votes on the proposed “Code of Conduct for Bishops” or the proposal to create a lay commission to investigate claims against bishops.
 
As a member of the US Bishop’s Committee for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations I helped review and edit the proposed “Code of Conduct for Bishops.” This document is an important step towards renewal and a real commitment by us, your bishops, to act with utmost integrity.
 
The instruction not to vote on the two proposals could be interpreted as a lack of care and concern for victims and their families. From the comments of many of the faithful of Eastern Washington and beyond, the lay people expect us to act. We must pray that Pope Francis and the Curia understand how the Church's ability to proclaim the Gospel and teach the Faith will be damaged, perhaps beyond repair in our lifetime, if we do not act.
 
As a body, the US Bishops must insist not only on accountability for bishops but also for religious superiors and provincials. They too need to be held accountable for any harassment or predatory behavior towards seminarians and professed religious men and women.
 
Please pray for Pope Francis, my brother bishops, and me that we may make progress on bringing about the reforms so desperately needed.
  
In Christ,
 
Bishop Thomas Daly

PDF: Statement regarding the USCCB 2018 General Assembly 

PDF available here